Although the choppy and 8-bit-like graphics and sparse music and sound effects in HardBall '94 won't keep players coming back, the in-depth --- practically managerial --- involvement offered by the game will. So if you're tired of arcade-like sluggers and are looking for a more serious baseball cart, step to the plate and check out HardBall 94's delivery.

Hardball '94 continues Accolade's great tradition of extremely playable baseball games, but there's not much new here besides some hot animation in the batting view and the MLBPA license. The fielder animation could still use some refinement and the heavy player inertia makes it easy to overrun fly balls. But with it's incredible list of options, team editor and detailed statistics tracking, Hardball still ranks near the top of the Genesis baseball heap.

Major league players, stats and plenty of options make this cart a solid game. Is it worth the price you've already got Hardball III? No, but if you're a first time buyer who's looking for a well-rounded baseball game, Hardball '94 will score for you.

Despite the lack of officially sanctioned teams, if you enjoy the strategy side of baseball and feel that cutting-edge graphics and presentation take a back seat to playability, then you'll find a lot to enjoy in this game. On the other hand, if you're looking for the perfect balance between fast action and simulation then you should probably look elsewhere. Hardball '94 will be most remembered for its attempt at realism, methodical pace, and impressive roster of customizable features.